If for no other reason, the Pistons should be better just because of the migration of star talent to the West. The Pistons finished a few games out of the playoffs last season after earning the eighth seed in 2016, and they’re right back in the playoff hunt before they even play a game this season, now that Pauls Millsap and George and Jimmy Butler have left Atlanta, Indiana and Chicago, respectively.

But the loss of Morris is tough to swallow. He brought an edge on defense and a positional versatility on offense that the likes of Tobias Harris, Jon Leuer and Stanley Johnson might struggle to replicate.

Galloway and Tolliver won’t do much for the bottom line, and don’t expect Kennard to make an instant impact, so much of Detroit’s success will once again fall on the shoulders of Jackson and Andre Drummond, a pair of young players still finding their way in a league in which their games don’t quite fit.

It’s time for Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond to get serious. (AP)

Best-case scenario: According to the NBA’s net rating statistics, the Pistons were never worse than when Jackson or Drummond were on the court last year, and they were never better than when either of them was on the bench. That must change. They can’t afford to have their two highest-paid players for the next three seasons be their least impactful contributors, so the best-case scenario is that Jackson finds some semblance of offensive efficiency and Drummond discovers some rim-protecting.

That alone would represent a successful season. And a big step forward from Stanley Johnson, Reggie Bullock and/or Henry Ellenson wouldn’t hurt in their quest to become a pesky road playoff seed.

If everything falls apart: This could easily happen. Detroit’s best lineup last season was with Ish Smith at the point, Baynes at center and Caldwell-Pope, Morris and Harris as the wings and swings. All but Smith and Harris are gone, and Bradley is the only marked upgrade taking over for the other three.